Method and apparatus for automatically controlling the character of discharge from alpha multifluid pumping system



L L. CORC AUTOMATICALLY ROM A MU ORAN 1,848,243 CONTROLLING THECHARACTER OF LTIFLUID PUMPING SYSTEM Filed Feb. 7, 1930 March 8, 1932.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISCHARGE F Mafia)- Zen 13* L Caz-cord 27 WWW(Ittornegs Patented Mar. 8, 19321 umrsnf"ST TES:

LEWIS n con-ocean, or JACKSON Erasmus, NEW'YORK, ASSIGNOR' To THE UNITEDsnares eases comrannor new YonK, N. Y., A conromrron OFPENNSYLVANIAMarisol) AND arranarus non. anromrronnm"ooNTnoLLiNo THE CHARACTER or.

DISCHARGE FROM A MULTIFLUID PUMPING SYSTEM" Application filed February7, 1930. Serial No. 426,618.

This invention relates to pumping systems of the type in whichm'ore thanone distinct fluid is drawn into the system and thereafter forced. intoa single conduit wherefrom the commingled fluids may be discharged underpressure for exterior use. More particularly, this invention isconcernedwith pumping systems in which a liquid and a gas are sepa-- into astorage reservoir in which a volume of air under pressure is maintainedabove the liquid level for forcmg water into dis- -1 tributing pipeswhen the pumping apparatus is idle. In systems of this type the pumpsusually are electrically controlled by mechanism responsive to reservoirpressures, it being desirab-le'to start the pumps only'at. in-

"1 time that a faucet is opened to withdraw water from the system.Various methods have been devised for replacing the lost air withatmospheric air, oneof which consists in admitting air as wellas waterto the pumping apparatus which normally deliversinto thereservoir, andcontrolling said air admission in'accordance with the demandsjof thereservoir. 3 The latter method and system therefor'are enerallysatisfactory except when such a condition arises that a faucet is openedwhile the pumping apparatus happens to be recharging thereservoir, orthe pump begins to operate while someone is drawing water through thefaucet.

V 1 Should someone open 'a faucet whenothe then suddenly emptiesfrequentintervals and between such inter-- pump isoperating, theentrained compressed air in thedelivery'side of the system (outsidethereservoir, and particularly in the air chamber of thepump) has atendency to expand suddenly and cause fluid to be re leased through thefaucet withsuch force as to. damage or knocka receptacle out of the handof the faucet operator. Furthermore, the water continues to flow fromthe faucet with sufficient entrained air to cause an irregular-flow withattendant gushing and splash; ing ofiwater over a relatively'largeareafsurrounding. the faucet; At frequent intervals the airchamberbecomes filled with air and itself through the open faucet. mf j 1Accordingly, it is a-primary object of my invention to remedy the abovementioned defects anddisadvantages. I

, It is an object of this invention todevise' v I a method, andapparatus therefor, for automatically controlling thecharacter of thefluid discharged from a multi fiuid pumping system. i More specifically,it iszan object of this invention to control the admissionof a gasinto acombined liquidandgas pump ing apparatus in accordance withtheposicharge side'of the pump to atmospheric pressure. I

Another object ofthe invention is to provide, 1 in a water supply systemof the reservoir type in which air and water are pumped into thereservoir, means responsive to faucet manipulation to shut off the airintake when the liquid pump is running with the faucetopen, and to openthe air intake when the pump is running with the faucet closed. In thisconnection, it is a further object to convert any system 'a-lreadyin useintoone of the foregoing. nature by the additionofa pressure-responsivevalve in the air intake line.

It is also an object of my invention to provide :a novel type oftwo-fluid pressure-re sponsive'valve assembly which shall bev'of simpleand inexpensive design and which shall embody a valve unit easilyremovable for replacement/or repair;

.tion of a valve which opens or closes the dis- I Other and furtherobjects will become apcharacters designate like parts, numeral 3 1indicates the floor line upon which the system ismounted as,ior example,the floor of a basement supporting the working apparatus which supplieswater through distributing lines to faucets throughout the rooms of thebuilding above. Numeral 4 designates the base of a pumping unit whichcomprises a flywheel 5 (driven by an electric motor, not shown) foroperating a conventional liquid pump 6. having an air dome or chamber10. The pump receives water through. a supply pipe 7 and dischargesitinto a delivery line comprisingapair ofshort pipe sections 8 and 9respectively connected through a four-way coupling :11 and incommunication with a main'distributing pipe 12 that is threaded intosaid coupling. Various branch lines. one of which, 13,v is shown, leadto supply valves in the nature of faucets 'l4.- With the pump running,it a .faucet is open, some of the liquid is pumped directly from a pipe8 through the pipes 12 and 13 to'the faucet; but when all faucetsareclosed the discharge of the pump passes directly through pipes 8 and 9to a reservoir 15 to be stored therein for subsequent use beneath apredetermined volume of compressed air. The air serves, when itspressure is high enough and'the pump is not operating, to expand andforcethestored water upwardly through the system for use at the faucets.Any conventional PIGSSUIEsIG- sponsive controlling device not shown) maybe connected to thereservoir to start and stop the electric, .motor inwell known manner.

A pair of conventional check valves 16 and 17 are disposed in pipesections 8 and .9 respectively. The valve116 closes pipe8 when the-liquid-level-controlled device may be em pumpis idle and openswhen thepumpexerts' a dischargepressure above that maintained in the reservoir.Valve 17 opensline 9 when the'pump is idle, and likewise maintains line9 open when the pump is running with all faucets 14:.closed, but closesthe line 9 when the pump operates with faucet .14 open.

Mechanism is provided for maintaining an adequate air supply in the topofthe reservoir, including an air line 18, 19 through which atmosphericair may be drawn into the snifter valve 21 on the intake side of thepump and thereafter delivered under pressure, along ,with the dischargedwater, throughpipes 8 and 9 intothe reservoir. .A

ployed. of the :type fully disclosed and claimed in apending-applicationSerial Number 316,041, filed October 30, 1928, for the purpose ofregulating the admission of air from the atmosphere into line 18, 19.Briefly described, this comprises a valve 22 which is opened and closedby an arm 23 as the latter is oscillated by a float 24 when the liquidlevel rises and falls respectively. The element 25 is a gauge forindicating reservoir pressure. I

It-may happen that a faucet 14 is opened during one of the periodicintervals that the pumpis operating to replenish the supply of water inthe reservoir, at which time the atmospheric air valve might also beopen. Under such condition, if the air pipes 18 and 19 were in directcommunication with each other, theair collected in the pump chamber10and entrained in the distributing pipes, would suddenly tend to expandto atmospheric pressure and spurt from the faucet with :great force, andwould also cause a splashing and spattering of water, with periodicgushing of-pent-up air, as long'as the faucetremained open. To correctthis defect in exist ng systems I have provided means for cutting offthe air supply as follows:

A spccial valve assembly 26 (see also Figure 2) is inserted in the airline 18, 19. This assembly comprises a pair of castings 27 and 28, theupper one 27 of which is provided with an annular locating boss 29 whichbears against a washer 31 and the periphery of a diaphragm 32. Theseparts are maintained in sealing engagement by machine screws 33. Thecastings are shaped to provide chambers 34 and 35 in which the diaphragmmay flex in response to pressures. The upper casting is provided with anipple 36 which may be screwed into the lower s'de of the four-waycoupling 11, and an interior passageway 37 extends from one end of thenipple to the other whereby chamber 34 is always in communication withthe interconnected ends of pipes 8, 9, and 12.

The lower casting 28 receives an elongated threaded valve hous ng 38which is detachablv scaled and locked in position-by a soft washer 39, ahard washer 41 and a lock nut 42, and which has a nipple extension 43 towhich air pipe 18 is connected by a-coupling 4A. A passage 45 throughthe valve housing 38 places pipe 18 in communication with diaphragmchamber 35. A similar passage 46 y and a nipple coupling extension 47are emvalving element 5 4 forcedby springer) against said seat 49 tomaintain the valve closed. By pressing downwardly on stem extension 52the valve 54 maybe forced from its seal;

against the res st-anceof the spring.

Centrally of the diaphragm 32 and on the lower side thereof there issecured, by solder or the like, a disc 56 having a central integralactuating 1311157. A co1l sprmg 58 surrounds this pin and reacts 111compression against disc 56 and the upper surface of casting 28. p Thepm 57 1s adapted, upon downward flexure of the diaphragm, to depressextension 52 and thus open the valve, but the spring 58 is strong enoughto prevent this action when the pressure above the diaphragm is below apredeterm ned value. Insome installations the inherent tendency of theflexible diaphragm to return to its fiat position may be suflicient toeliminate the necessity of utilizing spring 58.

'mission of air to the sn'fter valve21of the pumps. As a result of thisautomatic valve operation, the pump delivers water only and a uniformand steady flow of water is obta ned through the faucet. Upon closingthe faucet the pump discharge pressure immediately rises, diaphragm 32is pressed clownwardly to cause pin 57 to open the air valve 48, and airis thereby again admitted to the pump to be compressed with the waterand passed to the reservoir to replen sh the air and water supplytherein.

It should be understood that the principles of this inventionare'equally adapted to a For. example,

number of .similar uses. though I have illustrated one specific type ofapparatus, it is obvious that separate water and a r pumps might beemployed to discharge into a common conduit, the float control mechanismmight be replaced by any other suitable type, and valve 48 might bemechanically or electrically controlled by movement of the faucethandles. Likewise, similar automatic system might be employed inconnection with. other liquids and gases than water and air; and withcarbonating apparatus to prevent, during charging of said apparatus, theescape of carbon dioxide gas from the faucets when the latter a-reopened "at the soda fountain. As is proper and well understood, thescope of this invention is to be ascertained from a study of thefollowing appended claims.

Iclaimsf v l. The method ofwithdrawing only a liquid from the dischargeside of an 21913511621? tus which normally pumps a liquid anda gas in,commingled relation into a distribut 1 i'ngsystem, consistingjin thesteps of tapping the distributing system at a point where withdrawal ofthe liquid "is desired, and, simultaneously, automatically in responseto said tapping operation, stopping the admis-i sion of gas to thepumping apparatus.

2. A pumping system comprising in com, bination, a pumpmg apparatus; astorage reservoir; means for admitting aliquid and a gas to said pumpingapparatus to be placed under pressure thereby; means for delivering thecompressed gas. and the liquid from said pumping apparatus to saidreservoir, whereby said compressed gas tends to displace saidliquid fromthe reservoir; a. distributing line connected to said delivery means sothat it may receive either the pump discharge-or the liquid .from saidreservoir, said distributing line including Iineansfor withdrawin liquidtherefrom; a valve in said means Ior admitting gas to the'pumpingapparatus; and means, automatically responsive to manipulationof said.y'vithdrawing' means, for opening. and closlng said valve.

3. Inthe combination set forth in claim 2,

c said automatically responsive means, being designed to close saidvalve when said withdrawing, means is opened during thentime that thepumping apparatus is being operated-,whereby no gas is ever dischargedthrough said distributing line and its with drawing means. a p

4. In the combination, defined in. claim-2, said'automatic meanscomprising a pressureresponsive device in communication with saiddistributing line and hence responsive to pressurevariations caused inthelatter by opening and closing movements of said with? drawing means.i. y 5. In awater supply system that consists in a distributing linewhich either may receive water from a reservoir or a mixture of air andwater from a pumping apparatus; a

two-fluid pressure responsive valve comprising a casing having an airpassage one end of which is adapted for communication with theatmosphere and the other end of which is designed for connection to theinlet side of the pumping apparatus, an auxiliary normally open valvemounted in said casing to control said air passageway, and apressure-responsive device design for connection to the distributingline and adapted to close said auxiliary valve upon the reduction of thepressure in said line to a predetermined value. v

6. In a water supply system, a storage reservoir; a pumping apparatusfor receiving water and air and delivering them together under pressureto said reservoir whereby a column of water is maintained beneath acolumn of air in said reservoir; a water inlet line connected to thepumping apparatus; an air supply line connected between said pumpingapparatus and the atmosphere, including a shut-01f valve controlled byconditions within the reservoir; a water distributing line incommunication with the reservoir at a point below the normal water leveltherein and also in'communication with said pumping apparatus, wherebysaid line is adapted 'to receive water from the reservoir or to receivethe fluid discharged by said pumping apparatus; means for tapping waterfrom said distributing line; and means, automatically operable inresponse to manipulation of saidtapping means,-to stop the admissionofair through said air supply line to said pumping apparatus.

7. In the combination set forth in claim 6, said pumping apparatusincluding a single conduit for conveying the pump discharge to saidreservoir; means for coupling said distributing line to said singleconduit; and a pair of check valves disposed in said single conduit, oneat each side of said coupling means.

:8. A-pumpingsystem comprising, in combination, a pumping apparatus; apair of fluid conduits, one :for supplying a liquid to the pumpingapparatus and the other for supplying a gas thereto; a single conduitfor re ceiving the fluids asthey are discharged from said apparatus;means for withdrawing the fluids from said single conduit; and means,automatically operable in response to manipulation of said withdrawingmeans, to control the admission of the gas to said apparatus; saidautomatically operable means serving to closeoflt' said gassupply whenthe withdrawing means is .opened, whereby only a liquid medium .isdischarged from said pumping apparatus when the withdrawing means isopen.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

LEWIS L. CORCORAN.

